Othello - A Racist Play?
Although there are lots of things to suggest this is a racist
play I don't think that racism actually dominates the play, even
though it has a racist theme. There is a romantic union between black
and white which gets destroyed because most people think the
relationship is wrong. At the time the play was written, 1604, even
the Queen of England was racist so there must have been a strong
hatred of blacks around that time.
Most racist comments in the play are said by people that are
angry or upset. For example, when Emilia found out that Othello
had killed Desdemona she was extremely mad and she called Othello a
"Blacker devil", this was the only time in the play that she had said
anything racist about Othello. The main characters that have racist
attitudes are Iago, Brabantio, Roderigo and Emilia, with the hatred of
Othello as the basis for their racist actions and comments towards
him. Iago is the most racist character in the book as he has it in for
Othello right from the start. What sparks off Iago's hate towards him
is the fact that when Othello chose his lieutenant , it was Cassio who
was chosen instead of Iago. What made Iago angry was the fact that
Cassio had no experience in war when he did and Cassio was chosen
instead of him. Iago does not say anything racist to Othello's face
but he has a lot to say against him behind his back. He schemes to
destroy Othello and anything in his way including Cassio and
Desdemona. The first time we hear one of his racist comments is when
he's talking to Brabantio about Othello and Desdemona,
"Even now, very now, an...